Today is Volkstrauertag, Remembrance Day in Germany, held each November on the second Sunday before Advent. A national day of mourning it represents those from every country, members of the military or civilians, who have died or were left to mourn as victims of violence brought about by combat or oppression.

From Europe's old battlefields, on which Germany played their part, to the armed conflicts and struggles continuing to take place in our present-day world.

Monument in honor of victims of war in Staufener Cemetery, Breisgau, Baden-Wuerttemberg. The photographer is M. Donner.

Avatar: HOHENZOLLERNBRUECKE Cologne with CATHEDRAL and LUDWIG MUSEUM. The Bridge a symbol of how Germany was rebuilt after WWII, it was left in ruins, the Cathedral with roots in the 13th century represents the country's history, Museum of Modern Art the present day.

Thank you for this article, Francine. It was very interesting and I find the Volkstrauertag an inspiring commemoration. Especially these days when there are so many victims of wars and oppression who are not soldiers.

Mona thank you for your comment, and yes even at this moment there are folk from all age groups becoming victims of current conflicts. Although they are not members of any armed force and probably did not choose to be in the middle of a battle but nevertheless they are suffering and dying.

Since "war" left a defined "battlefield" all those years ago the toll on the innocents has been enormous, as well as that on the families of the soldiers who are hurt or killed.

I like the German way of dealing with recognizing what is a terrible situation for all involved, no matter in which way it is looked.

Avatar: HOHENZOLLERNBRUECKE Cologne with CATHEDRAL and LUDWIG MUSEUM. The Bridge a symbol of how Germany was rebuilt after WWII, it was left in ruins, the Cathedral with roots in the 13th century represents the country's history, Museum of Modern Art the present day.

This is a wonderful article, Francine -- a beautiful tribute to a very meaningful and much needed message for all nations. I am very impressed with the reason for Remembrance Day and could not help but shed tears for the purpose of it. Thank you for this article. I shared it on facebook.

I very much like the concept of the "period in Germany which traditionally concentrates on thoughts of death, time and eternity, known as "Stillen Tagen". Quiet Days."

"Quiet Days" is a perfect way to describe the days to remember those lost to us and to reflect on what life and eternity means to us. Today, more than ever, we must remember and reflect on the message your article holds for all.

Phyllis thanks so much for your comments, and yes "Quiet Days" is a perfect description for what can be a heavy month, with the Sun appearing less and less, long dark days and in many ways at the moment difficult times. It seems an ideal time to remember the lives of those we have lost and those we didn't know personally, as well as life, living and our own contribution towards it all.

But in the US you have Thanksgiving on Thursday which is a joyous time, while Advent begins here in just a week or so, and somehow it all symbolizes the sequence of birth, death, rebirth and transformation, with its optimism that hopefully we will have gained some wisdom along the way.

Avatar: HOHENZOLLERNBRUECKE Cologne with CATHEDRAL and LUDWIG MUSEUM. The Bridge a symbol of how Germany was rebuilt after WWII, it was left in ruins, the Cathedral with roots in the 13th century represents the country's history, Museum of Modern Art the present day.

Today, 20 de Noviembre, is a statutory national holiday, in rememberance/celebration of Mexico's 10 year (1910-1920) War of Revolution in which between 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 million people out of a total population died directly or indirectly as a result of that conflict.

However, there is nada silencio/QUIET about the holiday and has not been for weeks as whether one was in Churintzio or San Blas, Nayarit or most any other community you could hear the children practicing their melodic, er, I mean discordant and cacophonousdrum and bugle routines that will culminate in parades on 11/20 throughout the country. Making the noise level even higher will be youth in the parades dressed as revolutionaries shooting off blanks from their rifles.

In Mexico, similar to the even grander and noisier Patriotic Holiday, Independence Day celebrations of 9/15-16, this holiday is more to massively and communally join together in a fiesta/party like setting rather than a time to mourn for those that had fallen. Quiet it is not!

Hi Les.........Glad you enjoyed the article and thank you for your comment, and my goodness isn't Wolkstrauertag different from Mexico's War of Revolution festivities.

Must be the influence of the Latin temperament which turns the whole thing into a real celebration, and why not indeed they did actually have quite a lot to celebrate, an end at last to all that killing. Those are really high numbers of dead, and who knows how many were affected by injury or loss.

Do you resort to ear plugs and closed windows for the duration, or perhaps even join in and play a bugle yourself?

Avatar: HOHENZOLLERNBRUECKE Cologne with CATHEDRAL and LUDWIG MUSEUM. The Bridge a symbol of how Germany was rebuilt after WWII, it was left in ruins, the Cathedral with roots in the 13th century represents the country's history, Museum of Modern Art the present day.